Chapter 111: Manchester united vs Chelsea FA CUP
David was grinning as he made his way to the field, thankful he didn’t get lost this time. Reaching the home team’s stand, he saw the wide pitch stretching out before him. It still felt surreal. He walked to the bench, spotting the players seated there, and was greeted with a familiar voice.
"My man, how far nah? Come sit," Ighalo called out, his thick Nigerian pidgin instantly making David feel at ease. He smiled and went over to sit next to him.
Juan Mata, seated nearby, raised an eyebrow and teased, "David, why are you always late?"
David chuckled, rubbing his leg. "The leg, the leg," he replied, using his injury as his trusty excuse.
As he sat down, his eyes caught two faces on the bench that completely surprised him. First, Paul Pogba. It shouldn’t have been shocking, really—Pogba had played just 20 matches this season due to injuries. But since returning, the Frenchman had started every game. David, a diehard fan, immediately began overthinking. Sure, Pogba’s stats this season weren’t mind-blowing—just one goal and two assists—but stats weren’t everything, were they? He shook his head, remembering his first lesson here: it wasn’t just about stats. What Pogba brought to the pitch was deeper than numbers.
David shook his head again, this time with a smile creeping onto his face. He realized he’d been analyzing like a coach. Smiling to himself, he thought, Yeah, I’m goated. Analytical thinking? Check.
But the real shocker was Anthony Martial. Martial, the team’s highest goal scorer this season with 23 goals and 10 assists, was seated on the bench, arms folded, eyes fixed on the pitch. David was stunned. Martial had been almost untouchable this season, starting 44 out of 45 games, the one exception being when he sprained his ankle but still came on as a sub. Seeing him benched now felt... strange.
David sighed to himself, thinking, I really need to start checking the lineups. It was a habit he had picked up from his dad, who hated knowing the lineups before a match. "It spoils the surprise," his dad would always say.
Sitting next to Ighalo, David leaned in and asked, "Where’s the gaffer?"